After training through the heat of the summer, the Yorba Linda cross country team started the season off strong last Saturday at the 13th annual Great Cow Run in Cerritos. Our Freshman boys kicked off the morning running their very first high school cross country race with Kayden Goto (19:43) and Tyler Yang (19:45) working together throughout the race to lead their team to a 3rd place finish. The Freshman girls were led by Carissa Teran running a fearless time of 20:22 for her first high school race. Junior Siena Palicke raced the course biker as she won the Varsity girls race with a PR of 17:20, followed by Senior Hayley Killion, who ran a PR of 19:00 flat, landing the Varsity girls team a first-place finish in their division. The Junior Varsity girls continued the streak with Senior Kailey Cook, leading the Yorba Linda girls with a time of 21:53 which was followed shortly by Sydney Bremer (22:45) earning the JV girls team a first-place finish in their division. Senior Neil Bondoc shattered the sixteen-minute mark leading the Varsity boys with a PR of 15:48 followed by Junior Vijay Arora who PR’d as well with a 16:22. Sophomore David Van Dyke ran his first cross country race as a varsity team member with a strong 17:44. Lucy Carter (PR 21:42) and Lexi Broadwater (PR 21:53) worked together to lead their sophomore girls to a 3rd place finish in their division. Sophomore Stephen Sundvold proves to be a newcomer to look out for this season running his first cross country race in 18:29. Running for Junior Varsity boys, Brandon Vega (19:21) and Senior, Calvin Hu (19:37), tackled the race together starting their season off strong. Embracing the heat with a strong first race behind them, the Yorba Linda Mustangs are prepared for a promising season ahead!